24th May 2010, 18:07

Its all about priorities. Sounds like you're the flashy car like Jaguar-owner type, whereas I'd be happy with the Yaris just knowing that it won't ever leave me stranded! (Don't get me wrong though, I'd still take the Jag LOL).

The Yaris is an updated Toyota Echo (those ugly Echo's; a REAL ego-buster there!) And both models are known for their outstanding reliability.

2009 Toyota Yaris Hatchback gas from North America

Summary:

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong with the car so far. It runs smoothly, but the manual shift is harder to get used to than some other manual shifts I have driven.

The one thing I find somewhat annoying is having to open the window in the rain or snow if I have to adjust the side mirror. There is no way to adjust it from inside the vehicle.

So far I have put only 20,000 km more than when I bought it, so it hasn't really had a chance for defects to show up.

General Comments:

Even though it is a small vehicle, I have been able to move some fairly large items with the back seat flattened down. I have moved over forty 8' and 10' two by fours, and a 24" stacked washer dryer, among other things.

For the first 3 months that I drove it I consistently managed 740 km per tank (about 42 liters). Now I am getting about 640 km per tank. Perhaps my driving style has changed, or it needs a tune-up.

I am fairly happy with the gas mileage. I like the two interior push on lights. They are convenient, bright, and don't seem to drain the battery. Several times I have left them on all night and they didn't drain the battery.

It is a little tight to fit a family of 5 into, but still possible if they aren't too big. There is plenty of headroom for the driver, which I can't say for all little cars.

It is great for parking, since it is hardly much longer than a smart car, and handles very well.

2009 Toyota Yaris Hatchback 1.5L gasoline from North America

Summary:

This car is excellent all-around

Faults:

Some of the interior components are flimsy.

General Comments:

This car has excellent storage for a vehicle its size. The back seats fold flat easily, so I can put nearly anything I want in the back with no trouble. The back seat holds passengers comfortably, unlike other small cars. It's got plenty of cupholders, which are sturdy enough to have no problems spilling beverages.

The car feels a bit slow, but it's worth it when I'm getting at least 30 mpg consistently.

14th Feb 2010, 12:48

I get about the same mileage in my Hyundai Elantra. And I drive a mix of highway, city and country roads as well (I live in a very small town, so I actually drive a lot of country roads.) I'm not saying the Yaris is a bad car. It's a very nice car, a lot better than other cars in the same class (more room than a Hyundai Accent, cheaper than a Honda Fit, and a heck of a lot more reliable than a Chevrolet Aveo) but you could get about the same mileage with a larger car. You say you have a family of 5, which is definitely cramped in a Yaris.